Want to get some relief on the electric?

Lighting does not add a lot to the electric bill, but every dollar counts.

I have taken scraps of wood and made old style candle sconces out of them. I drilled a hole the diameter of my solar yard lights, and placed them around the house.

I charge the lights during the day in a holder that I also made from scrap, then place them in the sconces at night.

Some lights are brighter than others. I use the low light ones in the hall, bath and kitchen. Wherever you have or would like an night-light works great.

They are safe around water, hey they go outside and only operate on 1 1/2 to 3 Volts DC.

I found some with switches on them and I made a stand from a 2 X 6 cut 5 1/2" square. Then using a wide bit to drill a hole partway through the board in the center. Use a bit the size of the stalk of the solar light. Put the light in it and you have a nice solar accent or table light. If you want to get fancy, router, bevel or sand the edge, paint or stain the wood. Want to get even fancier? Find a dowel the size of the stalk and replace the stalk with it. You can finish this to match or accent your decor. How about a cheap lampshade bent to fit over it. Get imaginative.

You can get very bright multi LED floods and mount them the same way and 2 or 3 in the kitchen will give enough light to do most anything.

Just remember to take them down the next morning, I use my holder I made, and set them in the sun for recharging. They charge fine in a window. Just be sure that the sun hits the cell on top. They will also recharge from regular incandescent or CFL light too!

I find them in yard sales or cheap at the end of the season in stores. Lots of times they won't work or quit after a short time. Most times this is because of the cheap

battery they have. You can open them up and replace the batteries with new.

They sell "Solar Rechargeable" batteries.

NEWS FLASH: These are no different from regular rechargeable batteries except for 2 things. 1. The name "Solar Rechargeable. 2 They cost a bit more. Buy the regular rechargeable, they work fine.

Some take AA batteries other smaller ones take AAA batteries. Smaller ones take one battery, larger may take two.

By the way, remote control battery dies, use the "recharged for free" batteries and put a new rechargeable in it's place.

I am building a home and intend to mount them in all the rooms. I am going to dismantle them and run "bell wire" through the house. I will mount the cell on the outside eave on the south. Where the DC comes in and goes to an overhead light, I will run it near the regular wires and drill a small hole in the switch cover and put a small toggle switch so they can be switched off. I will have regular lighting in case they are needed.

This is very low voltage DC and can not really hurt you. Bell wire works fine. I made a test of 12 feet and I lost no voltage.

You can even get solar lights that have a separate battery and Solar Cell plate. You could separate these by many feet, run the wire through the eave vent, through the attic and install the light permanently on a ceiling or wall or sconce.

I saw one that has one cell and a wire to two lights. It's a security light that is designed to place the cell in the sunny southern side and the lights in a darker area.

I have even seen solar shed lights, which are the same as all this, advertised for $60.00+. For a little work and wire, you can do the same for $2-3.00

Added bonus: Great emergency lighting, not affected by power outage and they make a decent flashlight in a pinch. Of course you could just get one of the new LED flashlights that take AA batteries and use your "free recharged" batteries in them.

Put some in those dark closets, basement, inside lower cabinets that are dark. Anywhere you could use a light.

I keep a small on on in the bedroom at night. Just enough light to see by, but not so much it wakes me up completely.

You won't save enough to pay your house note, but it won't cost you $5-50,000.00 to implement it either.

An old adage comes to mind...a penny saved is a penny earned...and you don't have to pay income tax on the earning. Besides it saves pollution and you can say "We have Solar Lighting in OUR house.

Coming from the Mississippi Gulf Coast, we used these after hurricanes and storms that cause the power to go off to light the house. We even used the batteries to put in our radios and tiny DC televisions to listen and watch the news. I had small individual fans that used the AA batteries. Hey some breeze is better than no breeze when it's 90 degrees and 100% humidity.

If you use any of these suggestions, or have more, I would appreciate hearing from you.

Too all our service men and women who have served or are serving in the military, to their families and friends, to the families who have lost a loved one.

For these Sacrifices, We, a humble nation, say a Heartfelt Thank You! JOB WELL DONE!

You are all in Our Prayers every day.

Come home Safe and SOON!

Have a Blessed Memorial Day and remember what it stands for.